RE: A question for the list...

["Mark Ng" <laptopalias1-mark () informationintelligence net>]

Just 2 cents -

> Is this proposal a vaccine, or could it unleash such collateral damage
> as to make the Internet useless?  Keep in mind that the "attackers" are
> more then likely compromised systems, and are thus "innocents."  But is

Are owners of long term compromised systems really "innocents"?  If people
have left systems compromised with worms that are attacking other networks
and reports have been ignored for significant amounts of time, then surely
the compromised party are guilty of negligence ?

Personally, I think there are merits to some kind of "strikeback" system,
but it has worse than dubious legality, and would definitely be abused
(without a question).  I think that ISP's need to make a more active role in
this, and actively threaten to cut off customers whos compromised systems
are attacking other networks on the internet.

Perhaps rather than a strikeback system, something similar to ARIS could be
used to send automated alerts to ISP's warning them that x number of their
customers have the latest worm.  In the event that ISP's are non-compliant,
and don't deal with their infected customers, peering points could agree to
enforce this upon ISP's.

This is much preferable to doing things that may or may not be morally
correct, but are a legal minefield.

Thoughts ?

Regards,


Mark Ng (www.informationintelligence.net)



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